Hybrid pepper &#39;e20b30236&#39;

ABSTRACT

A hybrid pepper designated ‘E20B30236’ is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of hybrid pepper ‘E20B30236’, to the plants of hybrid pepper ‘E20B30236’, to methods for producing hybrid plants, and to methods for producing other pepper lines, cultivars or hybrids derived from the hybrid pepper ‘E20B30236’.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.62/988,068, filed Mar. 11, 2020, which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of plant breeding. Inparticular, the present invention relates to a new and distinctivepepper (Capsicum annuum) hybrid designated ‘E20B30236’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The bell pepper (Capsicum annuum) originated in Mexico and theneighboring areas of Central America. Today, pepper plants can be foundgrowing wild in tropical areas around the world. Soon after Columbus'sdiscovery of this plant, it was grown worldwide and used as a spice anda medicine. Pepper is grown as a crop in many countries; hot peppers aregenerally grown in Latin America and China, while the United Statesprefers bell peppers. Peppers are used for both fresh consumption, andfor processing into powders, sauces, and salsas. Many of the newcultivars grown today can be traced back to the early plants.

The genus Capsicum and species annuum includes most of the peppers grownin the United States. These can be further grouped into two broadcategories: chile peppers which are pungent (hot) and sweet pepperswhich are non-pungent (mild). The United States produces four percent ofthe world's Capsicum peppers (chile peppers and sweet peppers), rankingsixth behind China, Mexico, Turkey, Spain and Nigeria. Bell peppers arethe most common sweet pepper and are found in virtually every retailproduce department. While peppers are grown commercially in most states,the U.S. pepper industry is largely concentrated in California andFlorida, which together accounted for 78% of output in 2000. New Jersey,Georgia, and North Carolina round out the top five producing states(Economic Research Service, USDA, Vegetables and MelonsOutlook/VGS-288/Dec. 14, 2001).

Bell peppers are eaten raw, cooked, immature and mature. Oftennutritional content is altered by the changes in the way they areconsumed. Bell peppers are an excellent source of Vitamin C, Vitamin A,and Calcium. Mature red peppers have more of these qualities than theimmature green peppers.

Peppers grown in temperate regions are herbaceous annuals, but areherbaceous perennials in regions where temperatures do not drop belowfreezing. Pepper plants' growth habit may be prostrate, compact, orerect, but it is determinate in that after it produces nine to elevenleaves a single stem terminates in flowers. These flowers then becomethe edible fleshy fruit for which these plants are grown. For fruit toset, the ovaries need to be fertilized. Auxin is then produced by theseeds, which determine fruit cell elongation. The number of seedsfertilized determines the size and shape of the fruit. The seeds developon the interior and attach to the veins, and fully developed seed iskidney shaped. Pepper fruits are non-climacteric, which means they donot produce ethylene and need to stay on the vine to continue theripening process. A deep taproot will form if the plant root system isuninjured during transplanting. The spindle root will develop fibroussecondary root systems spreading laterally and downward. On the soilsurface the stem will produce adventitious roots, but not as easily astomatoes. The leaves of the pepper plant arise singly and are simple,entire, and asymmetrical. Typical of all solanaceous plants, the leavesare arranged alternately on the stem. They are shiny and glabrous andvary in shape from broadly ovate to ovate lanceolate. The flowersdevelop singly or in twos or threes continuously as the upper structureof the plant proliferates. The corolla is white and five lobed while theanthers are bluish or yellowish in color. The flowers have an openanther formation and will indefinitely self-pollinate. They are alsopollinated by insects, which increases the chances of cross-pollination.Unlike tomatoes, whose pollen becomes nonviable in high temperatures,the pepper flowers' pollen is not extremely heat sensitive and itremains viable up to 100° Fahrenheit, allowing fruit to be producedfruit throughout the growing season.

The fruit of a pepper plant is classified as a berry with colorsincluding green, yellow, red, purple, black, brown, white, and orange.Pepper fruit developmental stages are characterized by their colors.Green is the color of an immature fruit, yet green peppers are commonlyeaten, and as the fruit matures it changes color. In most commercialcultivars, the color changes are from green to red, green to yellow, orgreen to orange. In contrast to other pepper varieties, fruits of thepurple and white varieties already have these colors as they develop,and therefore do not have a green stage.

Pepper is an important and valuable field crop. Thus, there is acontinued need for new hybrid peppers that are appealing to consumersand agronomically sound.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to meet these needs, the present invention is directed toimproved hybrid peppers. In one embodiment, the present invention isdirected to a hybrid pepper, Capsicum annuum, seed designated as‘E20B30236’ having NCIMB Accession Number X1. In one embodiment, thepresent invention is directed to a pepper plant and parts isolatedtherefrom produced by growing ‘E20B30236’ pepper seed. In anotherembodiment, the present invention is directed to a pepper plant andparts isolated therefrom having all the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics of a pepper plant produced by growing ‘E20B30236’ pepperseed having NCIMB Accession Number X1. In still another embodiment, thepresent invention is directed to an F₁ hybrid pepper seed, plants grownfrom the seed, and fruit isolated therefrom having ‘E20B30236’ as aparent, where ‘E20B30236’ is grown from ‘E20B30236’ pepper seed havingNCIMB Accession Number X1.

Pepper plant parts include pepper leaves, ovules, pollen, seeds, pepperfruits, parts of pepper fruits, flowers, cells, and the like. In anotherembodiment, the present invention is further directed to pepper leaves,ovules, pollen, seeds, pepper fruits, parts of pepper fruits, and/orflowers isolated from ‘E20B30236’ pepper plants. In certain embodiments,the present invention is further directed to pollen or ovules isolatedfrom ‘E20B30236’ pepper plants. In another embodiment, the presentinvention is further directed to protoplasts produced from ‘E20B30236’pepper plants. In another embodiment, the present invention is furtherdirected to tissue culture of ‘E20B30236’ pepper plants, and to pepperplants regenerated from the tissue culture, where the plant has all ofthe morphological and physiological characteristics of ‘E20B30236’pepper. In certain embodiments, tissue culture of ‘E20B30236’ pepperplants is produced from a plant part selected from leaf, anther, pistil,stem, petiole, root, root tip, fruit, seed, flower, cotyledon,hypocotyl, embryo and meristematic cell.

In yet another embodiment, the present invention is further directed toa method of selecting pepper plants, by (a) growing ‘E20B30236’ pepperplants where the ‘E20B30236’ plants are grown from pepper seed havingNCIMB Accession Number X1 and (b) selecting a plant from step (a). Inanother embodiment, the present invention is further directed to pepperplants, plant parts and seeds produced by the pepper plants where thepepper plants are isolated by the selection method of the invention.

In another embodiment, the present invention is further directed to amethod of making pepper seeds by crossing a pepper plant grown from‘E20B30236’ pepper seed having NCIMB Accession Number X1 with anotherpepper plant, and harvesting seed therefrom. In still anotherembodiment, the present invention is further directed to pepper plants,pepper parts from the pepper plants, and seeds produced therefrom wherethe pepper plant is grown from seed produced by the method of makingpepper seed of the invention.

In another embodiment, the present invention is further directed to amethod of making pepper variety ‘E20B30236’ by selecting seeds from thecross of one ‘E20B30236’ plant with another ‘E20B30236’ plant, a sampleof ‘E20B30236’ pepper seed having been deposited under NCIMB AccessionNumber X1.

According to the invention, there is provided a hybrid pepper plantdesignated ‘E20B30236’. This invention thus relates to the seeds ofhybrid pepper ‘E20B30236’, to the plants of pepper ‘E20B30236’ and tomethods for producing a pepper plant produced by crossing hybrid pepper‘E20B30236’ with itself or another pepper plant. This invention alsorelates to methods for producing other pepper cultivars or hybridsderived from hybrid pepper ‘E20B30236’ and to the pepper cultivars andhybrids derived by the use of those methods. This invention furtherrelates to pepper seeds and plants produced by crossing hybrid pepper‘E20B30236’ with another pepper cultivar.

In another embodiment, the present invention is directed to single geneconverted plants of hybrid pepper ‘E20B30236’. The single transferredgene may preferably be a dominant or recessive allele. Preferably, thesingle transferred gene will confer such trait as sex determination,herbicide resistance, insect resistance, resistance for bacterial,fungal, or viral disease, improved harvest characteristics, enhancednutritional quality, or improved agronomic quality.

In another embodiment, the present invention is directed to methods fordeveloping pepper plants in a pepper plant breeding program using plantbreeding techniques including recurrent selection, backcrossing,pedigree breeding, restriction fragment length polymorphism enhancedselection, and genetic marker enhanced selection. Seeds, pepper plants,and parts thereof produced by such breeding methods are also part of theinvention.

In addition to the exemplary aspects and embodiments described above,further aspects and embodiments will become apparent by reference bystudy of the following descriptions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The patent or application file contains at least one drawing executed incolor. Copies of this patent or patent application publication withcolor drawings will be provided by the office upon request and paymentof the necessary fee.

FIG. 1 shows leaves and mature-green fruit of hybrid pepper ‘E20B30236’.

FIG. 2 shows harvested mature-green fruit of hybrid pepper ‘E20B30236’.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

There are numerous steps in the development of any novel, desirableplant germplasm. Plant breeding begins with the analysis and definitionof problems and weaknesses of the current germplasm, the establishmentof program goals, and the definition of specific breeding objectives.The next step is selection of germplasm that possess the traits to meetthe program goals. The selected germplasm is crossed in order torecombine the desired traits and through selection varieties or parentlines are developed. The goal is to combine in a single variety orhybrid an improved combination of desirable traits from the parentalgermplasm. These important traits may include higher yield, fieldperformance, fruit and agronomic quality such as fruit shape and length,resistance to diseases and insects, and tolerance to drought and heat.

Choice of breeding or selection methods depends on the mode of plantreproduction, the heritability of the trait(s) being improved, and thetype of cultivar used commercially (e.g., F₁ hybrid cultivar, purelinecultivar, etc.). For highly heritable traits, a choice of superiorindividual plants evaluated at a single location will be effective,whereas for traits with low heritability, selection should be based onmean values obtained from replicated evaluations of families of relatedplants. Popular selection methods commonly include pedigree selection,modified pedigree selection, mass selection, and recurrent selection.

The complexity of inheritance influences choice of the breeding method.Backcross breeding is used to transfer one or a few favorable genes fora highly heritable trait into a desirable cultivar. This approach hasbeen used extensively for breeding disease-resistant cultivars. Variousrecurrent selection techniques are used to improve quantitativelyinherited traits controlled by numerous genes. The use of recurrentselection in self-pollinating crops depends on the ease of pollination,the frequency of successful hybrids from each pollination, and thenumber of hybrid offspring from each successful cross.

Each breeding program should include a periodic, objective evaluation ofthe efficiency of the breeding procedure. Evaluation criteria varydepending on the goal and objectives, but should include gain fromselection per year based on comparisons to an appropriate standard,overall value of the advanced breeding lines, and number of successfulcultivars produced per unit of input (e.g., per year, per dollarexpended, etc.).

Promising advanced breeding lines are thoroughly tested and compared toappropriate standards in environments representative of the commercialtarget area(s) for three years at least. The best lines are candidatesfor new commercial cultivars; those still deficient in a few traits areused as parents to produce new populations for further selection. Theseprocesses, which lead to the final step of marketing and distribution,usually take from five to ten years from the time the first cross orselection is made.

One goal of pepper plant breeding is to develop new, unique and superiorpepper cultivars. A breeder can initially select and cross two or moreparental lines, followed by repeated selfing and selection, producingmany new genetic combinations. Moreover, a breeder can generate multipledifferent genetic combinations by crossing, selfing, and mutations. Aplant breeder can then select which germplasms to advance to the nextgeneration. These germplasms may then be grown under differentgeographical, climatic, and soil conditions, and further selections canbe made during, and at the end of, the growing season.

The development of commercial pepper cultivars thus requires thedevelopment of pepper parental lines, the crossing of these lines, andthe evaluation of the crosses. Pedigree breeding and recurrent selectionbreeding methods are used to develop cultivars from breedingpopulations. Breeding programs combine desirable traits from two or morevarieties or various broad-based sources into breeding pools from whichlines are developed by selfing and selection of desired phenotypes. Thenew lines are crossed with other lines and the hybrids from thesecrosses are evaluated to determine which have commercial potential.

Pedigree breeding is used commonly for the improvement ofself-pollinating crops or inbred lines of cross-pollinating crops. Twoparents which possess favorable, complementary traits are crossed toproduce an F₁. An F₂ population is produced by selfing one or severalF_(1S) or by intercrossing two F_(1S) (sib mating). Selection of thebest individuals is usually begun in the F₂ population; then, beginningin the F₃, the best individuals in the best families are selected.Replicated testing of families, or hybrid combinations involvingindividuals of these families, often follows in the F₄ generation toimprove the effectiveness of selection for traits with low heritability.At an advanced stage of inbreeding (i.e., F₆ and F₇), the best lines ormixtures of phenotypically similar lines are tested for potentialrelease as new cultivars.

Mass and recurrent selections can be used to improve populations ofeither self- or cross-pollinating crops. A genetically variablepopulation of heterozygous individuals is either identified or createdby intercrossing several different parents. The best plants are selectedbased on individual superiority, outstanding progeny, or excellentcombining ability. The selected plants are intercrossed to produce a newpopulation in which further cycles of selection are continued.

Backcross breeding may be used to transfer genes for a simply inherited,highly heritable trait into a desirable homozygous cultivar or line thatis the recurrent parent. The source of the trait to be transferred iscalled the donor parent. The resulting plant is expected to have theattributes of the recurrent parent (e.g., cultivar) and the desirabletrait transferred from the donor parent. After the initial cross,individuals possessing the phenotype of the donor parent are selectedand repeatedly crossed (backcrossed) to the recurrent parent. Theresulting plant is expected to have the attributes of the recurrentparent (e.g., cultivar) and the desirable trait transferred from thedonor parent.

The single-seed descent procedure in the strict sense refers to plantinga segregating population, harvesting a sample of one seed per plant, andusing the one-seed sample to plant the next generation. When thepopulation has been advanced from the F₂ to the desired level ofinbreeding, the plants from which lines are derived will each trace todifferent F₂ individuals. The number of plants in a population declineseach generation due to failure of some seeds to germinate or some plantsto produce at least one seed. As a result, not all of the F₂ plantsoriginally sampled in the population will be represented by a progenywhen generation advance is completed.

In addition to phenotypic observations, the genotype of a plant can alsobe examined. There are many laboratory-based techniques available forthe analysis, comparison and characterization of plant genotype; amongthese are Isozyme Electrophoresis, Restriction Fragment LengthPolymorphisms (RFLPs), Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNAs (RAPDs),Arbitrarily Primed Polymerase Chain Reaction (AP-PCR), DNA AmplificationFingerprinting (DAF), Sequence Characterized Amplified Regions (SCARs),Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphisms (AFLPs), Simple Sequence Repeats(SSRs—which are also referred to as Microsatellites), and SingleNucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs).

Molecular markers can also be used during the breeding process for theselection of qualitative traits. For example, markers closely linked toalleles or markers containing sequences within the actual alleles ofinterest can be used to select plants that contain the alleles ofinterest during a backcrossing breeding program. The markers can also beused to select toward the genome of the recurrent parent and against themarkers of the donor parent. This procedure attempts to minimize theamount of genome from the donor parent that remains in the selectedplants. It can also be used to reduce the number of crosses back to therecurrent parent needed in a backcrossing program. The use of molecularmarkers in the selection process is often called genetic marker enhancedselection or marker-assisted selection. Molecular markers may also beused to identify and exclude certain sources of germplasm as parentalvarieties or ancestors of a plant by providing a means of trackinggenetic profiles through crosses.

Mutation breeding may also be used introducing new traits into peppervarieties. Mutations that occur spontaneously or are artificiallyinduced can be useful sources of variability for a plant breeder. Thegoal of artificial mutagenesis is to increase the rate of mutation for adesired characteristic. Mutation rates can be increased by manydifferent means including temperature, long-term seed storage, tissueculture conditions, radiation (such as X-rays, Gamma rays, neutrons,Beta radiation, or ultraviolet radiation), chemical mutagens (such asbase analogs like 5-bromo-uracil), antibiotics, alkylating agents (suchas sulfur mustards, nitrogen mustards, epoxides, ethyleneamines,sulfates, sulfonates, sulfones, or lactones), azide, hydroxylamine,nitrous acid or acridines. Once a desired trait is observed throughmutagenesis the trait may then be incorporated into existing germplasmby traditional breeding techniques. Details of mutation breeding can befound in Principles of Cultivar Development: Theory and Technique,Walter Fehr (1991), Agronomy Books, 1(https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/agron_books/1).

The production of double haploids can also be used for the developmentof homozygous lines in a breeding program. Double haploids are producedby the doubling of a set of chromosomes from a heterozygous plant toproduce a completely homozygous individual. For example, see Wan, etal., Theor. Appl. Genet., 77:889-892, 1989.

Additional non-limiting examples of breeding methods that may be usedinclude, without limitation, those found in Principles of PlantBreeding, John Wiley and Son, pp. 115-161 (1960); Principles of CultivarDevelopment: Theory and Technique, Walter Fehr (1991), Agronomy Books, 1(https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/agron_books/1).

Definitions

In the description and tables that follow, a number of terms are used.In order to provide a clear and consistent understanding of thespecification and claims, including the scope to be given such terms,the following definitions are provided:

Allele. The allele is any of one or more alternative forms of a gene,all of which relate to one trait or characteristic. In a diploid cell ororganism, the two alleles of a given gene occupy corresponding loci on apair of homologous chromosomes.

Backcrossing. Backcrossing is a process in which a breeder repeatedlycrosses hybrid progeny back to one of the parents, for example, a firstgeneration hybrid F₁ with one of the parental genotype of the F₁ hybrid.

Covered cultivation. Any type of cultivation where the plants are notexposed to direct sunlight. The covering includes but is not limited togreenhouses, glasshouses, net-houses, plastic houses and tunnels.

Essentially all the physiological and morphological characteristics. Aplant having essentially all the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics means a plant having the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics of the recurrent parent, except for the characteristicsderived from the converted gene.

Internode. An “internode” refers to the stem segment between nodes.

Mature-green. As used herein, “mature-green”, “mature-green fruit”,“mature-green pepper”, “mature-green pepper fruit” refer to pepper fruitthat has reached full size and the seeds inside are mature, but thefruit has not yet changed color.

Pepper fruit. As used herein, a “pepper fruit” is a fruit produced by aCapsicum annuum plant and is commonly referred to as a bell pepper. Thecolor of a pepper fruit can be green, red, yellow, orange and, morerarely, white, black, and brown, depending on when they are harvestedand the specific cultivar. Green peppers are unripe bell peppers, whilethe others are all ripe, with the color variation based on cultivarselection.

Propagate. To “propagate” a plant means to reproduce the plant by meansincluding, but not limited to, seeds, cuttings, divisions, tissueculture, embryo culture or other in vitro method.

Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL). As used herein, “quantitative trait loci”refers to genetic loci that control to some degree numericallyrepresentable traits that are usually continuously distributed.

Regeneration. As used herein, “regeneration” refers to the developmentof a plant from tissue culture.

Single gene converted. As used herein, “single gene converted” or“conversion plant” refers to plants which are developed by a plantbreeding technique called backcrossing wherein essentially all of thedesired morphological and physiological characteristics of an inbred arerecovered in addition to the single gene transferred into the inbred viathe backcrossing technique or via genetic engineering.

Overview of the Hybrid Pepper Variety ‘E20B30236’

Hybrid pepper ‘E20B30236’ is a bell pepper that produces rectangularfruit having a dark green color when immature and a medium red colorwhen mature (ripe). This variety is suitable for harvesting atmature-green stage. This variety is suitable for cultivation both in thefield and in the greenhouse. Hybrid pepper ‘E20B30236’ is suitable forgrowing in the fall and spring seasons of the eastern USA and similaragroecological regions. Additionally, hybrid pepper ‘E20B30236’ ishighly resistant to Tobamovirus, Pathotype:0 (Tm:0) and Bacterial LeafSpot (BLS) (Xanthomonas euvesicatoria) races 0-10, and intermediateresistant to Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus (TSWV). FIG. 1 shows leaves andmature-green fruit of hybrid pepper ‘E20B30236’, and FIG. 2 showsharvested mature-green fruit of hybrid pepper ‘E20B30236’. Hybrid pepper‘E20B30236’ is the result of numerous generations of plant selectionsfor its two parent lines, and was chosen for its plant size, fruitcolor, fruit shape, fruit size, and disease resistance.

This variety has shown uniformity and stability for the traits, withinthe limits of environmental influence for the traits. Hybrid pepper‘E20B30236’ has been increased with continued observation foruniformity. No variant traits have been observed or are expected in‘E20B30236’.

Objective Description of Hybrid Pepper ‘E20B30236’

Hybrid pepper variety ‘E20B30236’ has the following morphologic andother characteristics:

Plant:

-   -   Habit: Semi-spreading    -   Attitude: Semi-erect    -   Growth: Indeterminate    -   Height: Medium (50-75 cm at first harvest)    -   Shortened internode: Absent

Leaves:

-   -   Mature leaf shape: Ovate    -   Color: Medium green    -   Leaf and stem pubescence: Absent    -   Blistering: Absent

Flowers:

-   -   Number of flowers per leaf axil: 1    -   Anther color: Yellow    -   Corolla color: White    -   Self-incompatibility: Absent

Fruit:

-   -   Group: Bell    -   Immature fruit color: Dark green    -   Mature (ripe) fruit color: Medium red    -   Pungency: Sweet    -   Flavor: Moderate pepper flavor    -   Glossiness: Moderate    -   Surface texture: Smooth or very slightly wrinkled    -   Position: Pendent    -   Calyx shape: Saucer-shaped    -   Length: 9 cm    -   Diameter: 10 cm    -   Average number of fruits per plant: 6 marketable fruits    -   Base shape: Cupped    -   Apex shape: Blunt    -   Shape in longitudinal section: Rectangular    -   Sinuation of pericarp at basal part: Medium    -   Sinuation of pericarp excluding basal part: Weak    -   Average number of locules: Four    -   Days from transplanting until mature-green stage: 70-75 days    -   Days from transplanting until mature (ripe) red/orange/yellow        stage: 85-90 days

Seed:

-   -   Seed color: Yellow

Growth Conditions:

-   -   Type of culture: Both field and greenhouse    -   Principle use: Fresh market    -   Machine harvest: Not adapted

Anthocyanin Coloration:

-   -   Seedling hypocotyl: Absent    -   Stem: Absent    -   Node: Absent    -   Leaf: Absent    -   Pedicel: Absent    -   Calyx: Absent    -   Fruit: Absent

Disease/Pest Resistance:

-   -   Tobamovirus, Pathotype:0 (Tm:0): Highly resistant    -   Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus (TSWV) race 0: Intermediate resistant    -   Bacterial Leaf Spot (BLS) (Xanthomonas euvesicatoria) races        0-10: Highly resistant

Comparison to Most Similar Variety

Table below compares some of the characteristics of hybrid peppervariety ‘E20B30236’ with similar variety, ‘Aristotle’ (unpatented).Column 1 lists the characteristics, column 2 shows the characteristicsfor hybrid pepper variety ‘E20B30236’, and column 3 shows thecharacteristics for most similar pepper variety ‘Aristotle’.

TABLE Characteristic ‘E20B30236’ ‘Aristotle’ Plant height Medium (50-75cm Compact (less at first harvest) than 50 cm at first harvest) Daysfrom transplanting until 70-75 days Less than 70 days green mature(Medium) (Early) Resistance to Bacterial Resistant to Resistant to leafspot (BLS) races 0-10 races 1-3 (Xanthomonas euvesicatoria) Resistanceto Tomato Spotted Intermediate Not resistant Wilt Virus (TSWV) resistantto TSWV race 0

Further Embodiments

This invention is also directed to methods for producing a pepper plantby crossing a first parent pepper plant with a second parent pepperplant, wherein the first or second pepper plant is the pepper plant‘E20B30236’. Further, both first and second parent pepper plants may be‘E20B30236’. Therefore, any methods using pepper hybrid ‘E20B30236’ arepart of this invention: selfing, backcrosses, hybrid breeding, andcrosses to populations. Any plants produced using pepper hybrid‘E20B30236’ as at least one parent are within the scope of thisinvention.

Gene Conversions

When the terms pepper plant, hybrid, cultivar or pepper line are used inthe context of the present invention, this also includes any single geneconversions. The term “single gene converted plant” as used hereinrefers to those pepper plants which are developed by a plant breedingtechnique called backcrossing wherein essentially all of the desiredmorphological and physiological characteristics of a cultivar arerecovered in addition to the single gene transferred into the line viathe backcrossing technique. Backcrossing methods can be used with thepresent invention to improve or introduce a characteristic into theline. The term “backcrossing” as used herein refers to the repeatedcrossing of a hybrid progeny back to one of the parental pepper plantsfor that line, backcrossing 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or more times to therecurrent parent. The parental pepper plant which contributes the genefor the desired characteristic is termed the nonrecurrent or donorparent. This terminology refers to the fact that the nonrecurrent parentis used one time in the backcross protocol and therefore does not recur.The parental pepper plant to which the gene or genes from thenonrecurrent parent are transferred is known as the recurrent parent asit is used for several rounds in the backcrossing protocol (Poehlman &Sleper, 1994; Fehr, 1987). In a typical backcross protocol, the originalcultivar of interest (recurrent parent) is crossed to a second line(nonrecurrent parent) that carries the single gene of interest to betransferred. The resulting progeny from this cross are then crossedagain to the recurrent parent and the process is repeated until a pepperplant is obtained wherein essentially all of the desired morphologicaland physiological characteristics of the recurrent parent are recoveredin the converted plant, in addition to the single transferred gene fromthe nonrecurrent parent.

The selection of a suitable recurrent parent is an important step for asuccessful backcrossing procedure. The goal of a backcross protocol isto alter or substitute a single trait or characteristic in the originalline. To accomplish this, a single gene of the recurrent cultivar ismodified or substituted with the desired gene from the nonrecurrentparent, while retaining essentially all of the rest of the desiredgenetic, and therefore the desired physiological and morphological,constitution of the original line. The choice of the particularnonrecurrent parent will depend on the purpose of the backcross, one ofthe major purposes is to add some commercially desirable, agronomicallyimportant trait to the plant. The exact backcrossing protocol willdepend on the characteristic or trait being altered to determine anappropriate testing protocol. Although backcrossing methods aresimplified when the characteristic being transferred is a dominantallele, a recessive allele may also be transferred. In this instance itmay be necessary to introduce a test of the progeny to determine if thedesired characteristic has been successfully transferred.

Many single gene traits have been identified that are not regularlyselected for in the development of a new line but that can be improvedby backcrossing techniques. Examples of single gene traits include butare not limited to, male sterility, modified fatty acid metabolism,modified carbohydrate metabolism, herbicide resistance, nematoderesistance, resistance for bacterial, fungal, or viral disease, insectresistance, enhanced nutritional quality, industrial usage, and yieldenhancement. These genes are generally inherited through the nucleus.Several of these single gene traits are described in U.S. Pat. Nos.5,777,196, 5,948,957 and 5,969,212, the disclosures of which arespecifically hereby incorporated by reference.

Tissue Culture

Further reproduction of the variety can occur by tissue culture andregeneration. Tissue culture of various tissues of pepper andregeneration of plants therefrom is well known and widely published. Forexample, reference may be had to Teng, et al., HortScience. 1992, 27: 9,1030-1032 Teng, et al., HortScience. 1993, 28: 6, 669-1671, Zhang, etal., Journal of Genetics and Breeding. 1992, 46: 3, 287-290, Webb, etal., Plant Cell Tissue and Organ Culture. 1994, 38: 1, 77-79, Curtis, etal., Journal of Experimental Botany. 1994, 45: 279, 1441-1449, Nagata,et al., Journal for the American Society for Horticultural Science.2000, 125: 6, 669-672, and Ibrahim, et al., Plant Cell, Tissue and OrganCulture. (1992), 28(2): 139-145. It is clear from the literature thatthe state of the art is such that these methods of obtaining plants areroutinely used and have a very high rate of success. Thus, anotheraspect of this invention is to provide cells which upon growth anddifferentiation produce pepper plants having the physiological andmorphological characteristics of the hybrid ‘E20B30236’.

As used herein, the term “tissue culture” indicates a compositioncomprising isolated cells of the same or a different type or acollection of such cells organized into parts of a plant. Exemplarytypes of tissue cultures are protoplasts, calli, meristematic cells, andplant cells that can generate tissue culture that are intact in plantsor parts of plants, such as leaves, pollen, embryos, roots, root tips,anthers, pistils, flowers, seeds, petioles, and the like. Means forpreparing and maintaining plant tissue culture are well known in theart. By way of example, a tissue culture comprising organs has been usedto produce regenerated plants. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,959,185; 5,973,234; and5,977,445 describe certain techniques, the disclosures of which areincorporated herein by reference.

Additional Breeding Methods

This invention also is directed to methods for producing a pepper plantby crossing a first parent pepper plant with a second parent pepperplant wherein the first or second parent pepper plant is a pepper plantof hybrid ‘E20B30236’. Further, both first and second parent pepperplants can come from pepper hybrid ‘E20B30236’. Thus, any such methodsusing pepper hybrid ‘E20B30236’ are part of this invention: selfing,backcrosses, hybrid production, crosses to populations, and the like.All plants produced using pepper hybrid ‘E20B30236’ as at least oneparent are within the scope of this invention, including those developedfrom cultivars derived from pepper hybrid ‘E20B30236’. Advantageously,this pepper cultivar could be used in crosses with other, different,pepper plants to produce the first generation (F₁) pepper hybrid seedsand plants with superior characteristics. The cultivar of the inventioncan also be used for transformation where exogenous genes are introducedand expressed by the cultivar of the invention. Genetic variants createdeither through traditional breeding methods using pepper hybrid‘E20B30236’ or through transformation of hybrid ‘E20B30236’ by any of anumber of protocols known to those of skill in the art are intended tobe within the scope of this invention.

The following describes breeding methods that may be used with pepperhybrid ‘E20B30236’ in the development of further pepper plants. One suchembodiment is a method for developing progeny pepper plants in a pepperplant breeding program comprising: obtaining the pepper plant, or a partthereof, of hybrid ‘E20B30236’, utilizing said plant or plant part as asource of breeding material, and selecting a pepper hybrid ‘E20B30236’progeny plant with molecular markers in common with hybrid ‘E20B30236’and/or with morphological and/or physiological characteristics selectedfrom the characteristics listed above. Breeding steps that may be usedin the pepper plant breeding program include pedigree breeding,backcrossing, mutation breeding, and recurrent selection. In conjunctionwith these steps, techniques such as RFLP-enhanced selection, geneticmarker enhanced selection (for example, SSR markers) and the making ofdouble haploids may be utilized.

Another method involves producing a population of pepper hybrid‘E20B30236’ progeny pepper plants, by crossing hybrid ‘E20B30236’ withanother pepper plant, thereby producing a population of pepper plants,which, on average, derive 50% of their alleles from pepper hybrid‘E20B30236’. A plant of this population may be selected and repeatedlyselfed or sibbed with a pepper plant resulting from these successivefilial generations. One embodiment of this invention is the peppercultivar produced by this method and that has obtained at least 50% ofits alleles from pepper hybrid ‘E20B30236’.

Additional methods include, without limitation, chasing selfs. Chasingselfs involves identifying inbred plants among pepper plants that havebeen grown from hybrid pepper seed. Once the seed is planted, the inbredplants may be identified and selected due to their decreased vigorrelative to the hybrid plants that grow from the hybrid seed. Bylocating the inbred plants, isolating them from the rest of the plants,and self-pollinating them (i.e., “chasing selfs”), a breeder can obtainan inbred line that is identical to an inbred parent used to produce thehybrid.

Accordingly, another aspect of the present invention relates a methodfor producing an inbred pepper variety by: planting seed of the peppervariety ‘E20B30236’; growing plants from the seed; identifying one ormore inbred pepper plants; controlling pollination in a manner whichpreserves homozygosity of the one or more inbred plants; and harvestingresultant seed from the one or more inbred plants. The step ofidentifying the one or more inbred pepper plants may further includeidentifying plants with decreased vigor, i.e., plants that appear lessrobust than plants of the pepper variety ‘E20B30236’. Pepper plantscapable of expressing substantially all of the physiological andmorphological characteristics of the parental inbred lines of peppervariety ‘E20B30236’ include pepper plants obtained by chasing selfs fromseed of pepper variety ‘E20B30236’.

One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that once a breeder hasobtained inbred pepper plants by chasing selfs from seed of peppervariety ‘E20B30236’, the breeder can then produce new inbred plants suchas by sib-pollinating, or by crossing one of the identified inbredpepper plant with a plant of the pepper variety ‘E20B30236’.

One of ordinary skill in the art of plant breeding would know how toevaluate the traits of two plant varieties to determine if there is nosignificant difference between the two traits expressed by thosevarieties. For example, see Fehr and Walt, Principles of CultivarDevelopment, pp. 261-286 (1987). Thus the invention includes pepperhybrid ‘E20B30236’ progeny pepper plants comprising a combination of atleast two hybrid ‘E20B30236’ traits selected from the group consistingof those listed above or the hybrid ‘E20B30236’ combination of traitslisted in the Summary of the Invention, so that said progeny pepperplant is not significantly different for said traits than pepper hybrid‘E20B30236’ as determined at the 5% significance level when grown in thesame environmental conditions. Using techniques described herein,molecular markers may be used to identify said progeny plant as a pepperhybrid ‘E20B30236’ progeny plant. Mean trait values may be used todetermine whether trait differences are significant, and preferably thetraits are measured on plants grown under the same environmentalconditions. Once such a variety is developed its value is substantialsince it is important to advance the germplasm base as a whole in orderto maintain or improve traits such as yield, disease resistance, pestresistance, and plant performance in extreme environmental conditions.

Progeny of pepper hybrid ‘E20B30236’ may also be characterized throughtheir filial relationship with pepper hybrid ‘E20B30236’, as forexample, being within a certain number of breeding crosses of pepperhybrid ‘E20B30236’. A breeding cross is a cross made to introduce newgenetics into the progeny, and is distinguished from a cross, such as aself or a sib cross, made to select among existing genetic alleles. Thelower the number of breeding crosses in the pedigree, the closer therelationship between pepper hybrid ‘E20B30236’ and its progeny. Forexample, progeny produced by the methods described herein may be within1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 breeding crosses of pepper hybrid ‘E20B30236’.

As used herein, the term “plant” includes plant cells, plantprotoplasts, plant cell tissue cultures from which pepper plants can beregenerated, plant calli, plant clumps and plant cells that are intactin plants or parts of plants, such as fruit, leaves, pollen, embryos,cotyledons, hypocotyl, roots, root tips, anthers, pistils, flowers,seeds, stems and the like.

The use of the terms “a,” “an,” and “the,” and similar referents in thecontext of describing the invention (especially in the context of thefollowing claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and theplural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted bycontext. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing”are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, butnot limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of valuesherein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referringindividually to each separate value falling within the range, unlessotherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated intothe specification as if it were individually recited herein. Forexample, if the range 10-15 is disclosed, then 11, 12, 13, and 14 arealso disclosed. All methods described herein can be performed in anysuitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearlycontradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplarylanguage (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to betterilluminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope ofthe invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specificationshould be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essentialto the practice of the invention.

While a number of exemplary aspects and embodiments have been discussedabove, those of skill in the art will recognize certain modifications,permutations, additions, and sub-combinations thereof. It is thereforeintended that the following appended claims and claims hereafterintroduced are interpreted to include all such modifications,permutations, additions, and sub-combinations as are within their truespirit and scope.

Deposit Information

A deposit of the hybrid pepper ‘E20B30236’ is maintained by Enza ZadenUSA, Inc., having an address at 7. Harris Place, Salinas, Calif. 93901,United States. Access to this deposit will be available during thependency of this application to persons determined by the Commissionerof Patents and Trademarks to be entitled thereto under 37 C.F.R. § 1.14and 35 U.S.C. § 122. Upon allowance of any claims in this application,all restrictions on the availability to the public of the variety willbe irrevocably removed by affording access to a deposit of at least 625seeds of the same variety with the National Collection of Industrial,Food and Marine Bacteria Ltd. (NCIMB Ltd), Ferguson Building, CraibstoneEstate, Bucksburn, Aberdeen, AB21 9YA, United Kingdom.

At least 625 seeds of hybrid pepper ‘E20B30236’ were deposited on DATEaccording to the Budapest Treaty in the National Collection ofIndustrial, Food and Marine Bacteria Ltd (NCIMB Ltd), Ferguson Building,Craibstone Estate, Bucksburn, Aberdeen, AB21 9YA, United Kingdom. Thedeposit has been assigned NCIMB number X1. Access to this deposit willbe available during the pendency of this application to personsdetermined by the Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks to be entitledthereto under 37 C.F.R. § 1.14 and 35 U.S.C. § 122. Upon allowance ofany claims in this application, all restrictions on the availability tothe public of the variety will be irrevocably removed.

The deposit will be maintained in the NCIMB depository, which is apublic depository, for a period of at least 30 years, or at least 5years after the most recent request for a sample of the deposit, or forthe effective life of the patent, whichever is longer, and will bereplaced if a deposit becomes nonviable during that period.

1. A hybrid pepper seed designated as ‘E20B30236’, representative sampleof seed having been deposited under NCIMB Accession Number X1.
 2. Apepper plant produced by growing the seed of claim
 1. 3. A plant partfrom the plant of claim
 2. 4. The plant part of claim 3, wherein saidpart is a leaf, a fruit, or a cell.
 5. The plant part of claim 4,wherein said part is a fruit.
 6. A pepper plant having all thephysiological and morphological characteristics of the pepper plant ofclaim
 2. 7. A plant part from the plant of claim
 6. 8. The plant part ofclaim 7, wherein said part is a leaf, a fruit, or a cell.
 9. The plantpart of claim 8, wherein said part is a fruit.
 10. Pollen or an ovule ofthe plant of claim
 2. 11. A protoplast produced from the plant of claim2.
 12. A tissue culture produced from protoplasts or cells from theplant of claim 2, wherein said cells or protoplasts are produced from aplant part selected from the group consisting of leaf, anther, pistil,stem, petiole, root, root tip, fruit, flower, cotyledon, hypocotyl, andmeristematic cell.
 13. A pepper plant regenerated from the tissueculture of claim 12, wherein the plant has all of the morphological andphysiological characteristics of a pepper plant produced by growinghybrid pepper seed designated as ‘E20B30236’, representative sample ofseed having been deposited under NCIMB Accession Number X1.
 14. A methodof making pepper seeds, said method comprising crossing the plant ofclaim 2 with another pepper plant and harvesting seed therefrom.
 15. Amethod of making hybrid pepper ‘E20B30236’, said method comprisingselecting seeds from the cross of one ‘E20B30236’ plant with another‘E20B30236’ plant, a sample of ‘E20B30236’ pepper seed having beendeposited under NCIMB Accession Number X1.